[KH-CEI.94]
K. Josefsen, H. Nielsen, S. Lorentzen, P. Damsbo & K. Buschard
Circulating monocytes are activated in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes
mellitus patients
Clin Exp Immunol 1994; 98:489-493
"Investigations in the BB ret and the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse
have provided substantial evidence for the involvement of the
monocyte/macrophage system in the development of type 1 diabetes
mellitus. However, it is not known whether monocytes play the same role
in the pathogenesis of human type 1 diabetes. We investigated this
problem in a longitudinal study of 29 recent-onset type 1 diabetes
mellitus patients, Monocyte chemotaxis, phagocytosis and superoxide
production as well as metabolic and hematological parameters were
studied immediately after diagnosis and 6 months later. At diagnosis
the patients had activated casein and C5a chemotaxis(casein 70+-9 versus
150 +-5 (mean+- s.e.m.), P<0.001; C5a 137+-10 versus 158+-5, P<0.05
(activation immobilizes monocytes, reducing the measured values)), and
activated superoxide production(3.6+-0.3 versus 3.0+-0.3, P<0.05). After
6 mo.casein chemotaxis (115+-16 versus 150+-5, P<0.06 and CANDIDA
PHAGOCYTOSIS 3.3+-0.1 versus 2.8+-0.2,P<0.001) were still activated.
There was no correlation with other clinical or paraclinical parameters.
We conclude that the circulating monocytes in newly diagnosed type 1
diabetes patients are activated. It is reasonable to expect that
monocytes at the local site of inflammation in pancreas are even further
activated. This could play a pathogenic role in B cell destruction.
